


I Dropped a Quarter in the Jukebox (Just to Hear it Play)

by 0ceansgayt



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Meeting in a Bar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-26 08:47:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13854222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0ceansgayt/pseuds/0ceansgayt
Summary: It’s pouring rain outside, but the inside of the bar is lively, and feels like home. Paint is slowly peeling from the walls. An old coin-operated jukebox in the corner plays swing tunes just loud enough to hear. In walks Aubrey, wiping her feet on the doormat and shaking the raindrops from their cheeks. They look up, seeing the barhand at the counter, reading a book. They clear their throat awkwardly, making eye contact with the most breathtaking human being they have ever seen.





	I Dropped a Quarter in the Jukebox (Just to Hear it Play)

**Author's Note:**

> This has been in my drafts for like, ever, and I suddenly had so much muse to finish it. So. Here y'all go.
> 
> I have NOT forgotten about I Could Make You Happy, I just have been SUPER busy with preparing for vacation and I figured that I'd post an older draft that didn't take very long to finish. 
> 
> xoxo 
> 
> Please leave me a review

The road was nearly deserted, only a few cars slowly making their way down the road. Every step she took was echoed by the movement of water at her feet. As the rain continued to pour down, she held a newspaper over her head in an effort to stay just a tiny bit drier - it didn’t work. Curse the rain and from which it came. 

 

Aubrey stumbled upon a small bar - a little hole in the wall place with the warmth of neon lights spilling out of the window. She smiled, stepping inside. 

 

The bar was beautiful. Not the modern beauty that was granite countertops and high backed mahogany stools. No, this was more of a classic look. 

 

The paint - a sea foam green color - was peeling down the walls, in some spots picked off entirely - presumably by some patrons with a nervous finger. Aubrey sighed happily, lowering her soaked newspaper and wiping her feet on the rug before her. 

 

In the corner of the room sat a small jukebox. It wasn’t one of the new ones with the touch screen - this was the real deal, an authentic coin operated jukebox. A wide smile spread across her face, the crackle and pop of the music washing a wave of calm over her. 

 

It had been a long day at the firm, clients bustling in and out with meetings every half hour. The bar felt like safety and warmth, a home she had never felt anywhere before. 

 

Shaking the rain out of her hair and clothing, Aubrey glanced up towards the bar. While the patrons danced and sang around the room, the bartender was leant over and buried in a book. A messy dark bun bobbed and weaved as the bartender before her danced and read. 

 

Aubrey stood in front of the bar for a while, unmoving. She wasn’t sure about bar etiquette and mentally debated leaving a few times, but hastily decided against it. 

 

Something told her she  _ needed  _ to be here, in this bar. 

 

She cleared her throat, unsure as to how long she should wait before leaving. A moment passed and Aubrey’s eyes trained on the girl in front of her. She seemed to be very invested in the novel in front of her, a quality the blonde liked in other people - the ability to get lost in a good book. The stools in front of the bar were vinyl topped, some red and some blue. The material was cracked, some missing entire chunks of material with stuffing poking out. 

 

She slid onto a vinyl topped bar stool - a red one with the least amount of damage - shivering slightly as the cold made its way to her bones. Aubrey’s eyes nervously darted around the room, searching for somewhere she could take solace in a heat vent. 

 

She waited, tapping her fingers on the counter and stifled her annoyance in a soft cough. The brunette snapped up and Aubrey’s breath caught in her throat. She was the most beautiful thing Aubrey had ever seen, all fierce eyes and playful smirk. 

 

The woman was smaller in stature than Aubrey had expected, chalking the small frame up to the other woman leaning down. Her hair was pulled up messily on top of her head, strands falling and framing her face. Aubrey nearly drooled at the way the bartender’s makeup illuminated her fierce eyes - dark rims intensifying the icy blues. 

 

“Can I help you? I’m sorry, this book...I don’t read much, but…” She trailed off, holding the book up for a moment with a shy smile. It was one of Aubrey’s favorites -  _ Little Altars Everywhere - _ bringing a smile to her lips. 

 

“I...that’s a good book.” Aubrey started, mouth going dry. She was nervous - but why? She didn’t even  _ know  _ this woman. “Can I get a hot toddy, please?” 

 

“Coming right up, princess.” 

 

Aubrey watched in rapt attention as the other woman worked. She was as smooth as butter, moving like she had done this her entire life. Watching the bartender fix her drink, Aubrey took in her appearance. Dark skinny jeans and a light blue v-necked shirt dusted lightly with flour and bits of peanut shells, apron slung around her waist and slightly dampened. 

 

She wiped her hands on the aforementioned apron, wrist drawing up to wipe at a bead of sweat on her forehead. There was a pen tucked behind her ear, tangling with the loose hair falling from her bun. With a smile, she set the drink in front of Aubrey and resumed her position leaning against the bar, this time leaving the book face down on the counter. 

 

“You come here often? I’ve never seen you before.” 

 

“No, I just live a few blocks from here. I usually walk to work and it started raining and I’m  _ soaked  _ and I saw this bar and it just...I’m rambling.” Aubrey ducked her head with an embarrassed blush coating her cheeks. 

 

The bartender - Rebecca, according to her name tag - offered a small smile, sipping at her own drink behind the counter. Aubrey cringed, hoping she wasn’t doing something as  _ reckless  _ as drinking while on the job. 

 

“Don’t worry, it’s water.” The woman smirked, brushing the loose hair from her forehead. “You’re not rambling - and anyways, no one ever comes to talk to me. What do you do for work?” 

 

“I’m a lawyer, I work at Posen & Sons - just down the road. What’s your story?” She continued, hiding her nerves in a long pull from her drink. Her body involuntarily shivered as the hot drink warmed her throat, not really realizing how cold she was until that moment. 

 

The bartender pulled her small heater from behind the bar and set it between them with a shy smile. “What do you mean, my  _ story _ ?” 

 

“Everyone has a story - what’s yours?” 

 

The smaller woman took a deep breath, playful smirk creeping up on her lips. “I mean, I’m pretty ordinary. I’m in college at Barden - senior year - and I sing. The dream is to be a DJ or a producer one day, but until then I’ll be here...bartending until I can do any better for myself.” She took a sip of her water, shrugging with a small eye roll. Aubrey felt her heart flutter. 

 

“You’re into music?” Aubrey raised an eyebrow, smile sincere - a rare event for her. “I was in a music group at Barden, the all-girls…” 

 

“Barden fucking Bellas!” The bartender exclaimed, eyes wide. “No way, dude! Are you…?” 

 

“Aubrey Posen, Pukegate 2011.” She nodded, laughing softly at herself. Aubrey five years ago would have been  _ mortified  _ at the thought of bringing up her prior incident, but it was almost  _ funny _ now. “And you are?” 

 

“Beca - Beca Mitchell. Call me Rebecca and I’ll fucking murder you.” She narrowed her eyes for good measure, but looked more adorable than she did menacing. 

 

Aubrey smirked, taking another long sip of her drink. It was good, one of the best she’d had in a long time. It was the type of warmth that went straight to her soul, warming her from the inside out. “So.” She started, lips pursing together. “You like music?” 

 

“Yeah, I make my own music.” Beca nodded, sloppy little smile crossing her lips. “I make mixes. I take two songs and mash them up. Make something of my own.” 

 

Aubrey smiled, a lopsided grin that felt more sincere in that moment than she had felt in years. “Well then...play me some music, DJ.” She dug in her purse for a moment, procuring two quarters with a grin. Sliding them across the counter, she nodded her head in the direction of the jukebox. 

 

The bartender - Beca - looked dumbfounded, eyebrow cocked. “You want me to...why?” 

 

“The best way to get to know someone is by their taste in music.” Aubrey nodded affirmatively, as though she were reassuring herself and not the smaller woman. “So...go play me something - please?” Her tone was hopeful, bottom lip jutting out in a pout that had Beca’s heart stuttering. 

 

Beca wordlessly slid a sign onto the bar - ‘ _ Back in 5 _ ’ - and strode across the room, quarters in hand, to the jukebox. She looked at the selection, tongue poking through her lips in concentration. It brought a smile to Aubrey’s face, watching the other woman excitedly select a song. 

 

The bartender turned around as the jukebox whirred and crackled to life, a proud little smile on her face as she nervously looked Aubrey over. The older woman nodded, a giddy grin beginning to tug on the corners of her lips no matter how hard she tried to stifle it. 

 

“You have good taste.” Aubrey commented, head bobbing along to a Beatles song. It was an unexpected favorite for the blonde, usually opting to listen to an 80s girl power band. 

 

Beca fidgeted with the ends of her apron for a moment, unsure of what to do with herself. She let out a long sigh before smiling up at the older woman. “If you like it so much, dance with me.” 

 

The following moments were a blur, both women wildly dancing and shouting out the lyrics in a way that would  _ not  _ be acceptable by Barden Bella standards. It was only when the song ended that they calmed down, both panting - out of breath. Aubrey snuck a glance at the bartender, heart jumping in her throat from something that wasn’t entirely from the exertion. 

 

She had never labelled herself as a lesbian, choosing to say that she would entertain the option of anyone who so chose to be interested in her, but in that moment? Oh, she was more sure of her secxuality than ever before. She had never found something so insanely attractive as the smaller woman, slightly out of breath with a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead. Aubrey realized she was staring, quickly snapping her eyes to the floor beneath them with an awkward clearing of her throat. 

 

Beca was the first to speak, a sad smile on her lips as she sighed. “I guess I ought to go back to work...have a nice night, Miss Posen.” She went to turn, but stopped for a moment. “Thank you for that, I needed it.” 

 

The smaller woman turned to walk away and Aubrey did something she had never done before - but really, she had been all night - and caught Beca by the wrist gently. “Hold on...I need to tell you something.” 

 

“Go on.” Beca wore a proud little smirk, like she already knew that she would be stopped. 

 

“I’m not the type of woman who just  _ walks into bars _ , okay? I don’t do this. I don’t let a cute little barhand put music on and captivate me the way you did, but I guess I let you do it anyways.” She let out a long breath, eyes closing momentarily. “So I guess what I’m saying is...do you want to like, hang out? In a more than friends way?” Her eyes were nervously studying Beca, heart racing when she saw the smirk appear on the younger woman’s face.

 

“Are you asking me on a  _ date?”  _

 

“I guess?” 

 

“My answer depends on if it’s a date or not.” Beca challenged, hands going akimbo with a small, victorious smirk on her lips. 

 

“A..a date?” Aubrey murmured, cheeks heating up in a flush.

 

“I’m off in an hour. Yes...so totally fucking yes.” 


End file.
